Control mechanism for variable speed mechanism



Oct. 26, 1943.

H. c. CLAY 2,332,988 CONTROL MECFANIS'IW FOR vARIABLE SPEED MECHANISM original Filed April s, 1935 2 sheets-,Sheen ATTORNEYS.

Oct. 26, =1943. H. c.c| AY 2,332,988

` CONTROL MECHANISM FOR VARIABLE SPEED MECHANISM Original Filed April 8, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 'i INVENToR.

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A TTORNEYS `ring rail I4 of the machine.

Patented Oct. 26, 1943 y 'f y V A 2,332,988

NT OFFICE coNrRoL MEcHANisM Foa VARIABLE srEEnMEcnAmsi/r -Harry C. Clay, Columbus, Ind., assigner to Reeves `Pulley Company, ColumbusJnd., a-corporation of Indiana AOriginal'application April 8, 1935, Serial No. 15,209, Divided and this application December 15, 1939, Serial No. 309,307

a claims. (Citi-1y The present invention relates to a control means for a driven machine such, for instance, as a so-called Woolen spinning frame, wherebt7 the speed of the spinning frame is automatically controlled directly in accordance with thedemands of such spinning frame, and with a sensitivity far beyond any heretofore attainable. Further objects ofthe invention will appear as the description proceeds. l

This application is a division of my co-pending application, Serial No. 15,209, iiled April 8, 1935, upon which issued Patent No. 2,225,952, December 24, 1940. i

To the accomplishment of the above and related objects, my invention may be embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings, attention being called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only, and that change may be made in the specific construction illustrated and described, so long as the scope of the appended claims is not violated.

Fig. 1` is a broken diagrammatic view of a woolen frame having associated therewith ahydraulic controlling mechanism constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an idealized diagram of the manner in which the yarn is wound on each bobbin spindle of the frame;

Fig. 3 is abroken isometric View of such a hydraulic control associated with `a variable speed power transmission mounted to drive such a spin` ning frame; and l Fig. 4 is a sectional view `of the control. l

Referring more particularly tothe drawings, it will be `seen that I have illustrated a machine comprising a frame I upon rwhich are suitably mounted to be rotated Aa series of spindles II upon which the yarn I2 'is `to be wound-. The machine of course includes a suitable builder motion (not shown) suitably driven by the main shaft of the machine, and operating to drive the It may be noted here that, in some types of machinesfthe ring rail itself is reciprocated withrespect tothe spindles `I I; whereas in other .types of machines the spindles are reciprocated `with respect Ato the :stationary ring rail; and it will be obvious lthatthe two types of machines are Aequivalent `in that they accomplish the same result in substantially the same way. In either case, the relative re r While at the other vend :said lever I5 isconnected through a yoke I1. to one arm I8 of a bell -crank lever`I9. Suitable means, such as a cam, is provided whereby operation of the builder motion causes oscillation of the lever I5. 'Io the other arm 20 of the bell crank lever I9 is attached a yoke 2l adjustably carried at one end of an elon` gated rod 22 guided on and supported by a series of rollers 23; the opposite end of said rod 22 carrying a second yoke 24 connected to one arm v25 of a second bell crank lever 26. To the oppositelarm 21 of said bell crank lever `26 is connected a yoke 28 attached to a cable 29 which runs 'over a roller 30 and under a roller 3I, terminating in a yoke `32 attached to one end of an' 38 is `urged constantly downwardly by a spring 4l?. The free end of theextension 38 is operatively connected to a rod 4| which is a part of thecontrol per se housed within the casing 42.

"At 43 and 44 I have indicated a source of electrical energy, such as a pair of line wires, said line `wires being connectedby leads 45 and 4B to a switch box 41. vTwo leads 48 and 49 provide an energizing circuit, controlled by a switch in the `box 41, for thesolenoid 31; and two leads 50 and 5I provide an `energizing circuit, -controlled by a switch inthe box 41, for a pilot motor 52 carried on thecasing 42. An arm 53, having branched lingers 54 and 55, controls the switches in the box 41. i

4A coned disc 56 is rigidly mounted on the main `shaft `(not shown) `of the lspinning frame; and a second coned Vdisctl'l, is mounted coaXially therewith, said disc 51 being `axially movable and beingyconstantly urged toward .the ,disc 56 by a `spr-ing 58. Obviously, the discs and 51 cooperate to form an expansible V-pulley; and a belt 59 of V-cross section provides a drivin-g connection between said `pulley and a driving pulley comprising cones 60 and `6I mounted upon the spindle 62 `of a motor 63. The discs 60 and `ISI are preferably axially iiXed With respect to each other.` `The motor 63 is mounted upon a bed plate 54 which is reciprocable in za guide way formed in 1a base 65. It will be obvious that, as the motor v63 moves downwardly, the belt 59 will be pulled more deeply into the crotch between the discs .56 and 51, thereby separating .the said discs; and, -as the motor 63 moves upwardly the beit 59 `will be forced ,outwardly by the fiend 31 extending into the interior of the casing 42* and connected, at its lower end, Athrough a bracket 63, with a valve member 69. The motor 52 carries, within the casing 4 2, a sprocket 1|)l which drives, througha chain 1|, a sprocket 12 n the shaft of a pump 13 which is operable to draw liquid from within the casing 42 through the inlet pipe 14, and to discharge it through the outlet pipe 15. Said outlet pipe is connected can flow from the chamber 11 into the cylinder 19, nor can liquid iiow from the cylinder 19 into the sump in the casing 42. However, if the rod 4| is moved slightly upwardly, the port 96 will be brought into registry with the port 92; and the port 99 will be brought into registry with the port 90. Liquid `under pressure from the pump 13 will thereupon be supplied through the pipe 15 to the chamber 11, through the port |9| into the passage 93, and thence through the ports 96 and 92 to that portion of the cylinder 19 below the piston 8|. Thereby, the piston 8| will be' 4moved.4 upwardly. Since the ports 99 and 99 are'inregistry, such upward movement of the piston v8| forces liquid from above the Y piston V8| Vthrough the ports 99 and 99 and the to a casing 16 providing a chamber 11, said casing 16 being formed with a flange 18 at one end, and said iiange being positioned to close one end of a fluid motor cylinder 19. The opposite end of. said cylinderis closed by a cap Vand a piston 8| is reciprocable within said cylinder.

i A stem'92 projects upwardly from said piston 8|, being integral therewith, and said piston Vis further formed with a downward extension 83, likewise integral therewith. The stem 82 projects outwardly through the Cap 80 and, at its'upper end, receives a pin 84 through which a -cross member 85 is connected to said stem 82,

said cross member 85 Vcarrying'straps 86 connected to ears 81. on the motor 63. It will be obvious that this arrangement provides a connection between the piston 8| and the motor 63 which willl cause the motor 63 to follow ac-V curately all movements of the'piston 8|.

The extension 83, the piston 8|, and a portion of the stem`82r are axially bored to provide a socket 88 in which is mounted the upper end of the'valve member 69, said valve member beingreo'ip'rocable in said socket. A port 89 opens outwardly through said socket immediately abovejthe upper surface'of the piston 8|, and a -sec'ond port 99,-preferably diametrically opposed Ato the port 89, likewise opens outwardly from Vthe socket 38 immediately above the upper surface of thepiston 8|. v A port 9| opens from one side of the socket v8i! immediately below the lower surface of the pistonY 8|, and a port 92 opens from the other side of'said socket, immediately `below thelower surface of the' piston 8|.

,As is clearly shown in Fig.' 4, the valve member 69 is formed `to provide a passage 93, closed at its lower end by a'plug 94, and provided with three ports, 95, 99, and, |9| opening through the outer wall of the valve member 69. Said ports and 99 are positioned within Athe socket 88 l and are spaced apart a distance slightly greater vbetween the ports '90- and 9|.

VItis to be understood that the casing 42 will be 'iilled with liquid to a level above the lower end of the pipe 1,4. Ii the pump 13 is in operation, the chamber 411 will be always full of liquid under pressure,v itl being understood that a relief valve (not shc'iv'vn)` is provided between the pump 13 and the chamber 11. With the 'parts in the positions illustrated in Fig. 4', `no liquid passagerAV 91 into the sump in the casing 42. If the initial upward movement of the rod 4| is discontinued, such upward movement of the piston 8| will almost immediately move the ports 92 and 98 out of registry with the respective ports 96 and 99, and the system will again come into' equilibrium'.

Obviously, downward movement of the rod 4| will move vthe valve member 69 to bring the ports 95 and |89 into registry with the ports 89 and -9|, respectively, whereby liquid will be supplied to theupper portion of the cylinder and exhausted from the lower portion of the cylinder 19, the piston 8|A thereby being moved downwardly until the ports 89 and 9| again move out ofregi'stry with the ports 95 and |90.

The sensitivity of the disclosed systemis remarkably high; and at least some of that sensitivityY is,v in my opinion, due to the fact that the port centers are so positioned that the ports 95 an`d`96 slightly overlap the ports 89 and 92 when the organization isrin a' condition of equilibrium.

Upon reference to Fig. 1`, it will be seen that, with the parts in the positions illustrated, the

-cable 29'is so `slack that oscillation of the lever I5 will not. affect the lever This condition of slacknessis'maintained by energization of the solenoid 31 to hold the core 36 and standard 35 down inthe position illustrated. During the operation of the spinning frame, the ring rail i4 Vto the solenoid 31; but the leads 59 and 5| are deenergized, so that the motor 52 is not in operation. Consequently, the 'machine operates at a constant predetermined speed until such time as the ring rail I4 engages the nger 54 oi the lever '53 to rotate said lever slightly in a clockwise direction; wherebythe circuit including the leads 48 and 49 is broken and the circuit including the leads 50 and 5| is closed. Springs means (not shown) promptly elevates the core 36 and standard^35 4upon deenergization of the solenoid 31, thereby'"taking -up the slack in the cable 29, whereafter every movement of the lever I5 is followed byV thelever 33, and consequently the rod 4| and valve member 99. Thus, as the counterweight |6 moves downwardly, the lever 33 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction to elevate the rod 4|` and valve 69, whereupon the piston 8| is likewise moved upwardly, carrying with it the motor 63, whereby the operating speed of the spinning frame is decreased. Similarly, upon upward movement of the counterweight |6,

the lever 33 is permitted to move in a clockwise direction under the influence of the spring 40 to depress the rod 4l, whereby the piston 8| is moved downwardly. The motor 63 follows such movement of the piston to increase the operating speed of the spinning frame. This operation is continued, the speed of the spinning frame increasing each time the ring rail I4 moves upwardly and decreasing each time the ring rail I4 moves downwardly, until the `winding operation is completed. As the operator dois his spindles, he moves his ring rail I4 downwardly to starting position; and as said ring rail approaches said starting position it strikes the finger 55 of the arm 53 to return said arm 53 to the position illustrated in Fig. 1, whereby the `motor 52 is stopped and the standard 35 is again moved to the position of Fig. 1, wherein the cable 29 is slack.

I claim as my invention:

1. In combination, a driven machine including an element reciprocable through a stroke `of varying position, power means, a variable speed transmission connecting said power means to drive said machine, a control unit connected to control the speed ratio of said transmission, and including an element shiftable to operate said control, means providing an operative connection between said machine element and said control element, and means for rendering said machine element ineffective to shift said control element.

2. In combination, a driven machine including an element reciprocable through a stroke of varying position, power means, a variable speed transmission connecting said power means to `drive said machine, a control unit connected to control the speed ratio of said transmission, and including an element shiftable to operate said control, means providing an operative connection between said machine element and said control element, and means operable by said machine element in response to variations in the position of the stroke of said machine element for rendering said machine element at times effective to shift said control element and at times ineffective to shift said control element.

3. In combination, a driven machine including an element reciprocable through a stroke of varying position, power means, a variable speed transmission connecting said power means to drive said macine, a control unit connected to control the speed ratio of said transmission, and including an element shiftable to operate said control, means providing an operative connection between said machine element and said control element, electrical means operable, upon energization, to render said machine element ineffective to shift said control element, a circuit for energizing said electrical means, a switch in said circuit, and an operating member for said switch located in the path of said machine element, and engageable thereby, the position of said switch operating member being dependent upon the position of the stroke of said machine element.

HARRY C. CLAY. 

